Last month, several hundred people took to the streets of Downtown Visalia for the kick-off of the 2015 First Friday program. This month promises to be just as exciting as the April event taking place from 6- 8 p.m. on Friday, April 3.

For what promises to be another beautiful spring evening, the designated First Friday First Stop is Arts Visalia (214 E. Oak Ave.), which will host a reception to unveil the 11 juried candidates for the 2015 Visalia Visual Chronicle program. Established in 2011 by local arts writer and curator Aaron Collins, the Visalia Visual Chronicle is a privately-funded, publicly-owned art collection that captures the multitude of people, places, and cultural experiences that help define Visalia and the surrounding areas.

Now under the stewardship of the Arts Consortium, with whom Arts Visalia has partnered in organizing and presenting the exhibition, the idea is that someday the collection will be housed in a yet-to-be-conceived art museum or cultural center in Visalia. For now, however, individuals and organizations are encouraged to sponsor pieces, which will secure their place in the permanent collection. Sponsorships start at just $125, and support will be recognized on an engraved plaque, which will travel with the piece to a variety of corporate spaces over the course of 12-18 months.

Sponsors will also have the option of selecting the work for a limited period of time in their home or office. If you're interested in contributing to the legacy of the collection, be sure to stop by Arts Visalia on April 3, or learn more at artsconsortium.org/special-projects/Visalia-Visual-Chronicle.

The docent-led Towne Trolley tour was a favored component of the First Friday experience last month, and our trusty tour guide will return in April to guide individuals to the other destinations featured that evening.

Those that didn't make it to the The Jon Ginsburg Gallery at the Creative Center (410 E. Race Ave.) on March 6 will have another chance to catch their inspiring "Going to the Birds" show before it's gone forever. Once again, participating artists will donate 25 percent of all sales back to the Creative Center, a non-profit community arts center for adults with developmental disabilities.

Country Roads Studio (213 N. West St.) is one of the newest additions to the Visalia arts scene. Self-described as "the most unique creative center in Tulare and Kings counties", the space houses a number of photographers, an e-commerce studio for those looking to improve their EBay or Etsy sales, and they host a local sewing guild for everyone from beginners to experienced crafters. Photographers are encouraged to bring their cameras if they wish to participate in interactive demos and live action.

The Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance (525 W. Center Ave.), in their corporate gallery space, will display a collection of fine art, photography, and more by artist James Bonafe, and two youth artists currently facing the struggles of homelessness. 50 percent of all Bonafe's sales, on this night, will benefit the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance while 100 percent of Youth Artist Spotlight sales will go directly to the artists. The community is invited to stop by the center to meet the Board Members and learn about the work that is being done to assist our homeless population.

(Photo: Submitted)

Local photographer P. Kay Woods has traveled the world from Nepal to England, Mexico and India. Her beautifully textured photographs explore facets of the human experience, and will be on display during First Friday at the Brandon-Mitchell Gallery at the Spiritual Awareness Center (117 S Locust St). At 6 p.m., she will lead a workshop entitled "The eye of my (and your) cell phone." Guests are invited to bring their smart phones for a special tutorial.

And finally, be sure to stop by the Visalia Convention Center (303 E. Acequia Ave.), where you may roam the halls to view the spring Arts Consortium Membership Exhibition. Highlighting over a dozen artists from Tulare County, the work includes a variety of mediums including paintings, photography, painstakingly detailed drawings, sculpture, and limited edition prints.

For the most up-to-date information about the program, be sure to check out their website at FirstFridayVisalia.com, or their Facebook page at Facebook.com/FirstFridayVisalia. We'll see you April 3.

First Friday Downtown Visalia is a designated Special Project of the Arts Consortium, and is funded in part by a grant from the City of Visalia Community Arts Grant Program.